[PlayaMama]

hi all!

my ds is 4-1/2 and probably 38 pounds. he's about 42 inches tall. he has a britax boulevard that we use whenever we drive.

he will be flying with his dad to visit his family in california. his aunt (without asking) bought him a booster seat to use while they visit. it's a cosco highrise:

http://www.coscojuvenile.com/usa/eng...oster-Car-Seat

i did not want him in a booster seat yet and i couldn't see the problem with bringing his boulevard on the airplane. i think they are concerned that it will be a big seat to manage moving around

so, i told her that i didn't think he was ready for a booster seat yet and that i would do some research and find out if it is okay.

it will be for a week and her minivan has side impact airbags and i think they think i'm some sort of nut for even questioning it. so, hit me with your ideas about if this is safe or not.

tia!!

 

[an_aurora]

I would take the Blvd. When I read his age, I was ready to just say as long as he's mature enough a booster would be fine, but NOT a backless booster, and not at his weight.

 

[DahliaRW]

I wouldn't have a problem with a high back booster at that age/weight (we just used one with my 4yo on vacation), but not a backless, provided he could sit properly. Personally, my ds was more comfortable on the plane without a carseat since he could use the tray table an had more room to move.

 

[PlayaMama]

they'll check the booster as luggage. it'll only be used when they are driving around down there.

and i'm not certain of his weight, it's been a while since he's been weighed but i don't think he's terribly much more than 40 pounds, he's a pretty skinny little guy, his 3T pants are all big in the waist but too short.

she did say that she would be willing to buy a different one if i preferred, maybe i'll check into those.

thanks so much for the replies. i think my preference is to go for the boulevard since i don't really want _him_ to get used to using a different big boy seat since he so willing rides in his seat.

 

[an_aurora]

If she could buy him a Turbo Booster (they have recently been on sale for around $40), that would be much much better

 

[clipfish]

I second the Turbo Booster idea. That is what we have for our vacations.

 

[jillmamma]

I agree about no way on the backless booster, and the Graco Turbobooster with the high back would probably be alright if you don't bring the Boulevard. My DS started using a Turbobooster with the high back occasionally in daddy's car at about that age, and used his Marathon full time for another year till he was 5.75 and outgrew it. He now uses the Turbobooster full time in both cars (easy to switch back and forth).

 

[alegna]

Eh.... if he were super mature and could sit correctly 100% and not fall asleep, I'd be okay with a high back. Backless? Over my dead body.

We're flying next month with dd's safeguard....

-Angela

 

[PlayaMama]

okay, we weighed him on a friend's scale, he's 37 pounds. so he'll be using the boulevard. thanks ladies!!

 

[snoopy5386]

Will they install the seat correctly? If I were in that situation, I know my DH would not do a good enough job of installing the seat, his idea of "good enough" is way different than mine. I would personally use a high backed booster in that situation because they are easier to use correctly.

 

[an_aurora]

Do they have LATCH? A Blvd LATCH install is pretty hard to mess up